At a Congressional hearing on July 26, 2023, David Grusch, a former intelligence of ficial turned whistleblower, and two retired Navy fighter pilots answered questions about UAP (unidentified aerial phenomena, popularly known as UFOs). Grusch told a packed room that in 2019, military officials informed him of “a multi-decade UAP crash retrieval and reverse engineering program.”¹ When congressmen pressed him for details, he testified that the US government not only had UFOs in its possession, it also had nonhuman “biologics” from crashed UFOs.²

You read that right: nonhuman biologics—remains of formerly living beings—from crashed UFOs. That such a statement could be made in a formal setting is breathtaking. In the space of two hours, his testimony launched UFOs out of folklore and into the public square.

what do Americans think?

Grusch and his fellow witnesses would be easily dismissed if they were merely tipsy backwater hicks who said they saw something, but each of them is a vetted member of the United States military. They are what most people would call credible witnesses.

And they aren’t the only ones raising concerns. Military pilots, commercial pilots, and other professionals are offering their accounts of strange sightings. A phenomenon once mocked by sane people is now being verified by credentialed observers. And though little has been officially acknowledged, recent events seem to indicate that something is lurking in the shadows.

Ordinarily, this would be big news, but oddly enough, it has barely rippled the mainstream media. And yet, the subject is gaining traction in popular culture, even though there is no widespread consensus.

According to an article in The Hill, “An Ipsos³ poll, released on the eve of the congressional hearing, found that 42 percent of Americans believe in UFOs, while 1 in 10 respondents claims to have seen one. A 2021 report by Pew Research found that half of the nation believes military UFO reports constitute probable or definite evidence of extraterrestrial life.”⁴

Apparently, Americans are suspicious. They sense there is more to the story than stonewalling bureaucrats are telling them. “No other subject, perhaps, inspires such persistent talk about conspiracies and cover-ups. A Gallup poll in 2019 found that 68 percent of respondents believe the US government knows more about UFOs than it is telling us.”⁵

And while there is no proof for Grusch’s outlandish claims, the fact remains that reliable witnesses struggle to describe what they’re seeing, let alone offer scientific explanations for their observations. This epidemic of uncertainty is challenging many people to reevaluate their worldview. One commentator observes that we’re “seeing a complete destruction of bedrock reality.”⁶

a biblical worldview

If reality is being upended, where does that leave us? Arthur C. Clarke, author of 2001: A Space Odyssey, is credited with the famous quip: “Two possibilities exist: either we are alone in the universe or we are not. Both are equally terrifying.”⁷ He’s right. Both possibilities are unsettling, and it would be nice to leave such concerns to ivory-tower philosophers. But that attitude is not an available luxury anymore. Current events demand that rational people reconsider their place in the universe and give serious thought to their worldview. And what is a worldview? It is simply “a comprehensive conception or philosophy of the universe and of humanity’s relation to it.”⁸

For the purposes of our discussion, we at Signs of the Times^® embrace a Christian worldview. This means that we believe in the God of the Bible and accept the biblical narrative of life on Earth. Without the Scriptures, we are left with little more than a gut feeling to guide our conclusions.

What does the Bible say about aliens? It tells us that no one is here on our planet without God’s direct appointment or approval. The Scriptures name only three types of beings that inhabit Earth.

First, there are human beings. God created Earth in seven days. On the sixth day, He said, “Let Us make man in Our image. . . . So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. . . . Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good.” (Genesis 1:26–31, NKJV). From the beginning, human beings have been residents of Earth. In fact, Earth was designed as their perfect residence, and all of creation was made to bring them joy and happiness.

Second, there are good angels, or “ministering spirits,” as they are called in Hebrews 1:14. They are a higher order of being (see Psalm 8:4, 5) and are often mentioned in the Bible. They visited Abraham before Sodom was destroyed (Genesis 18; 19), preserved Daniel in the lions’ den (Daniel 6), and delivered Peter from prison (Acts 12).

The last type of being inhabiting our planet is evil angels, the good angels’ counterparts. They were cast out of heaven along with Satan when they rebelled against God’s government. “And war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought with the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought, but they did not prevail, nor was a place found for them in heaven any longer. So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him” (Revelation 12:8, 9, NKJV). The devil’s expulsion moved the great controversy between Christ and Satan from heaven to earth, plunging humanity into an epic battle for survival.

And that’s it. Just three types of beings share our space: human beings, good angels, and evil angels (also called demons). What complicates the subject is that angels can take many shapes. Good angels can appear as glorious beings, as happened at Jesus’ tomb (Matthew 28:2–4), but they can also appear as human beings, as they did to Abraham and Lot (Genesis 18; 19). Evil angels can pose as deceased humans (see the story of Saul, Samuel, and the witch of Endor in 1 Samuel 28), and they often possess human subjects. The Bible states that Satan even “transforms himself into an angel of light” (2 Corinthians 11:14). Of course, there is plenty we do not understand about angels—both good and bad—but it seems that they can appear in many forms.

These certainties simplify our quest to discover who is behind UFOs. If what we’re seeing isn’t of human origin and if it isn’t from God, then only one option remains according to the Bible: the phenomena must be the work of evil angels performing the will of their leader, Satan.

a way forward

As you consider this disturbing topic, here are some things to keep in mind.

1. Steer clear of the paranormal. If you listen closely to those who study aliens and UFOs, their commentary eventually drifts into the paranormal and tales of telepathic communication and mind control. They then declare that the new frontier involves studies in consciousness and life after death. Australian investigative journalist Ross Coulthart typifies this point of view. “I think there’s a consciousness story behind all of this, and I’m very early in trying to understand it.”⁹

Without fail, aliens and UFOs are linked with the paranormal, giving further evidence that they are not of divine origin. God doesn’t play cat-and-mouse games with His children. His will has been clearly communicated in the Bible and through His Son, Jesus Christ. Dabbling in the paranormal to understand aliens is as foolhardy as Eve trying to reason with the serpent in the Garden of Eden.

2. Don’t trust your senses. For many people, seeing is believing, which is a good rule of thumb for most major life decisions, such as making big purchases. The principle serves us well in temporal matters, but in spiritual affairs, our senses are not a reliable guide to reality. The devil is a master magician and is making every effort to deceive us. The Bible offers this stark warning: “The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved” (2 Thessalonians 2:9, 10).

Unfortunately, humans are a curious bunch, making them ripe for deception. In his written statement, submitted to the July 2023 congressional hearing, David Grusch concluded: “The knowledge we stand to gain should spur us toward a more enlightened and sustainable future, one where collective curiosity is ignited, and global cooperation becomes the norm, rather than the exception.”¹⁰ His advocacy for “collective curiosity” and “global cooperation,” though well-intentioned, are precisely what Satan is hoping to take advantage of with his sleight of hand!

For example, a few weeks after Grusch’s testimony, Ross Coulthart was asked, “If a nonhuman intelligence approached you, what would you do?” Without hesitating, he shot back, “I’d get a bloody interview, of course!”¹¹

What people don’t realize is that their curiosity, even if it is armed with the scientific method, is no match for the ruler of darkness. Our five senses are easily duped. “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places” (Ephesians 6:1, 2, KJV).

But if we can’t trust our eyes or our ears or tangible evidence, what are we left with?

3. Test everything by the Word of God. Without the Bible, we are defenseless against Satan’s sophistries. Everything must be measured by God’s Word.

“To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, it is because there is no light in them” (Isaiah 8:20, NKJV).

“Do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God” (1 John 4:1, NKJV).

“Now the [Holy] Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons” (1 Timothy 4:1, NKJV).

The Bible alone provides the frame of reference for every issue—including aliens and UFOs. Everything must be evaluated by its teachings. There is no way to understand reality except by trusting the light shining from Scripture. The only way forward is to join David in saying, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path (Psalm 119:105, NKJV).

a spiritual battle

So, are aliens here? If by aliens you mean visiting beings from other planets, the answer is no. The Bible gives no indication that extraterrestrials have visited Earth, much less taken up residence here. However, if by aliens you mean nonhuman intelligent beings, the answer is an unequivocal yes, in the form of evil angels. They have been here a long, long time, waiting for the right moment to strike.

A storm is brewing, and you can expect supernatural manifestations to increase as Satan ramps up his attack on humankind “because he knows that his time is short” (Revelation 12:12). “Your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Peter 5:8, NKJV).

The battle we all face is a spiritual one. The rulers of darkness are hell-bent on your destruction and mine. Our only safety is in Jesus Christ. It’s time to invite Him into your life and accept the protection He offers. “The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them” (Psalm 34:7, ESV).

Are Aliens Here? by Scott Cady	From the February 2024 Signs